Boat shoes are one of those fashion items that will forever be around, because they are actually useful. The sturdy leather slip-ons are enjoying a major comeback with the cool kids right now as the go-to shoe for summer.

The first boat shoe (as we know it) was invented by a certain Paul Sperry in 1935. A keen boatie, Sperry noticed his dog’s ability to run on ice and snow without skidding. He cut grooves into his shoe’s soles, and in doing so he discovered the perfect shoe for boating. Sperry is still a renowned maker of the shoes today.

Why you need them

Boat shoes are one of the few styles of summer shoes that are not only acceptable at the beach, but at barbecues, parties, on the street and on the boat. The loose-fitting leather makes them breezy to wear, and the multitude of different colors they come in makes them a great summer fashion accessory. The clean, prep school image that boat shoes evoke is a hot trend – think holidays in the Hamptons and days out boating.

How to wear them

If you’re going to go the full hog, pairing your boat shoes with chinos is a must. And if you wear chinos, you must also roll your trousers up one or two cuffs to expose your ankle. And if you expose your ankles, then you musn’t wear socks – it’s cooler this way, anyway. In fact, as a general rule, boat shoes should never be worn with socks. They look great with summer shorts and denim. Just don’t wear them with your speedo’s.

AP – Ten U.S. Navy crew members narrowly averted disaster when their helicopters accidentally dipped into Lake Tahoe in September while they tried to take photos for the squadron’s Facebook page, military investigators concluded.

A Navy report released Wednesday found that crew members’ unplanned hovering without sufficient power caused the MH-60R Seahawks to drop without warning to the water of Emerald Bay. Both aircraft were able to regain altitude and land nearby.

There were no injuries, but damage to both helicopters totaled $505,751 in the incident captured in a video filmed by a group of hikers and posted on YouTube. See Below.

The report recommended no punitive action, but a Field Naval Aviator Evaluation Board permanently stripped two Navy instructor pilots from San Diego of their flying status and ordered two student pilots to undergo at least six months of repeat training because of the Sept. 13 incident, the San Diego Union-Tribune reported.

Another flight instructor was placed on a year of probation and can’t fly during that time.

Their names were not released because their punishments were considered a private administrative matter, said Lt. Aaron Kakiel of Naval Air Forces at North Island Naval Air Station.

“The mishap was entirely preventable,” Vice Adm. Allen Myers, commander of all naval air forces, said in the report. “The aviation community was lucky this day, and a horrific loss of life was narrowly avoided.”

Among contributing factors, investigators said complacency, a lack of flight discipline and a succession of poor judgments nearly led to the loss of the two, $33 million helicopters and 10 sailors.

Crew members from HSM-41 at North Island Naval Air Station in San Diego were returning from an air show in Sacramento, Calif., when they tried to maneuver their helicopters about 70 feet above the lake to take the Facebook photos.

The report said their practice of taking Facebook photos on the flight was a distraction and a contributing factor to the mishap.

The squadron’s commanding officer at the time, who was not named, flew low over Lake Tahoe in 2009 and created a climate that contributed to the incident, according to the report.

The report lists a variety of safety recommendations to avoid a repeat of the incident.

“Some additional training will be done to help the squadron improve,” Kakiel added.

Retired Navy jet pilot Steve Diamond told the Union-Tribune the punishment was just but still “a crushing blow” for an aviator.

“It sends a message to a whole generation of aviators: Hey, you can’t do this. So it has a higher purpose,” he said. “Aviation is unrelenting when it comes to risk and safety.”

The Coast Guard issued a Marine Safety Alert Dec. 15 warning that a number of Type I personal flotation devices (PFDs) manufactured by a major supplier and distributed nationwide were assembled in a way that could prevent proper donning of the PFD in the event of an emergency.

Several lots of Type I (Offshore) PFDs in both adult and child sizes have been found to have the chest strap threaded through the fixed “D” ring, which the strap is intended to clip to when worn.

Instead of the strap falling away, allowing the wearer to wrap it around his or her body, the clip end of the strap would snag in the “D” ring.

In the alert, Alert 09-10, the Coast Guard said that it “strongly recommends” that vessel owners/operators having any of the PFDs listed in the alert — Kent Adult Model 8830 (USCG Approval Number 160.055/184/0 in Lot 53W, manufactured in October 2006) and Kent Child Model 8820 (USCG Approval Number 160.055/150/0 in Lot 012T, manufactured in March 2008) check each life jacket by completely unwrapping the primary strap to ensure that it is free and that it is capable of being adjusted for any wearer.

The Coast Guard also encouraged vessel owners/operators to verify that all their PFDs, regardless of manufacturer, are in fully serviceable condition by inspecting the straps, components, fabric and flotation materials. Any significant deterioration in condition or poorly functioning hardware indicates a replacement is necessary, it said.

Type I PFDs are required aboard certain commercial vessels and are preferred by many recreational boaters, especially those who cruise offshore, because of the added safety features their construction provides over Type II and III PFDs. Their disadvantage is that they are less comfortable to wear and are more expensive.

Never before has it happened! The Panama Canal, that lifeline between the Atlantic and the Pacific Ocean for thousands of ships a year as well as the cruising sailor, has had to be closed because of flooding.

Ten people have been killed and about 1500 citizens had to be evacuated from their homes in some of the dozens of neighborhoods that were also flooded. It is the greatest rain since the opening of the canal in 1914 to have hit Panama.

While it is the first time flooding has caused closure, 21 years ago on December 20 1989, U.S. troops invaded the country to topple the then president, Martinelli Noriega, and closed the canal at the same time.

Panama President Ricardo Martinelli commented also on the fact that it was the first time the canal was closed because of weather. ‘Our meteorologists says it’s never rained so much in Panama in the 73 years that we’ve kept climate records,’ Martinelli said.

The reason the canal had to be closed that that water overflowed the banks of lakes Gatun and Alajuela, which supply the canal. Authorities said they have opened the floodgates for both lakes.

‘We’re taking measures to normalize transit operations in the coming hours,’ said Manuel Benitez, the executive vice president of canal operations.

Meteorologists said the heavy rains are part of the La Niña weather phenomenon.

The Ninth Coast Guard District reminds the Great Lakes public to use extra precautions when planning recreational activities on frozen ponds, streams, rivers and lakes – ice can be unpredictable and dangerous.

Ice is an ever-changing surface and the fluctuating weather conditions greatly affect the ice’s stability.

In an effort to prevent, prepare and educate those who recreate on the ice, the Coast Guard would like to encourage people to remember the following tips.

I – Intelligence: check the weather and ice conditions, know where you are going, and know how to call for help/assistance.C – Clothing: wear the proper anti-exposure clothes with multiple layers. If possible, wear a dry suit to prevent hypothermia, which can occur within minutes after falling through the ice.E – Equipment: have the proper equipment such as a marine band radio, life jackets and screw drivers.

While the Coast Guard understands winter recreation on the ice around the Great Lakes is a tradition, it is important to take safety measures such as:

Use the buddy system: NEVER go out on the ice alone.

Dress in bright colors; and wear an anti-exposure suit that is waterproof, including a personal flotation device. A PFD allows a person to float with a minimum amount of energy expended and allows the person to assume the heat escape lessening position (H.E.L.P.) – bringing the knees close to the chest and holding them in place by wrapping the arms around the shin portions of the legs.

Carry two ice picks or screwdrivers for self-rescue. They are much more effective than using your hands.

Carry a whistle or noise-making device to alert people that you are in distress.

Don’t rely on cellular phones to communicate distress; VHF-FM radios are much more reliable.

Because Great Lakes ice is dangerous and unpredictable, the threat of hypothermia is always present with a potential fall through the ice. Hypothermia begins to set in quickly as the human body’s core temperature drops below 95 degrees Fahrenheit (35 C).

To treat hypothermia, handle the victim gently, get them indoors and remove clothing, then dry the victim promptly and wrap in blankets. Lastly, transfer the victim to rescue and/or medical authorities immediately.

However, AVOID the following actions with hypothermia:

NEVER rub or massage the extremities.

NEVER give alcohol or caffeinated products

NEVER apply ice

NEVER apply external heat sources directly to the skin

NEVER allow the person to smoke

NEVER allow the person to walk upon rescue until cleared to do so by a medical professional

The Coast Guard would like everyone to take an active part to enhance their chances for rescue and survival with a commitment to safety this year and beyond.